Merritt Memories

This year we had a lot of fun. We were lucky to have Dustin with us! He had to work, but they allowed him to come into work late. A true blessing. We celebrated on Saturday because Halloween fell on Sunday. We started the day off carving pumpkins (yes, a little late). We then got ready and ventured over to our trink-or-treat at the church. After, we walked around the neighborhood. The kids hit the jackpot. I must say it has been hard to keep my hands of their candy!!! Dustin and I dressed up as UP characters. Dustin was Russel and I was Mr. Fredricksen. Today we went to Dustin's parent's home and had soup, chili, and scones. Everybody brought a game to play and we had a little Halloween Carnival! So much fun and I forgot my camera!! Hope you all had a great holiday!!

So, ever since Dustin was released from the bishopric, we have been TERRIBLE at making it to church on time. In fact last week Becca asked me, as we were getting ready, if we were going to "long Sunday or short Sunday." That's pretty bad!!! Unfortunately it was short Sunday. I don't know why we can't get it together!!! I have set a goal to be on time this Sunday. I might even have enough time to take a picture in our Sunday best. I haven't had one of those in a while! We shall see, we shall see...

Last Friday we took our children on a promised outing from long ago. If you remember, we are doing scripture memorizing for our family scripture study. I take a scripture each week and they are to memorize for a whole week. After 10 scriptures we do something fun. Well it took a while, but they finally did it!!! For a reward we tried Incredible Pizza in Draper. Taryn had given us a coupon for $13 a person. This included all their rides and a buffet. We were honestly quite impressed. The pizza was much like 5 Buck pizza, but the buffet included a Mexican bar, Italian bar, and dessert bar too. You were allowed to stay for four hours after you swiped for your first ride. We decided to eat first! :) Then we went and enjoyed go-carts, mini-golf, mini-bowling, laser tag, and bumper cars. Then we ate some more! Then played more and before it was time to leave, we had dinner! I was going to take advantage of not cooking for dinner!! We left at the right time too. All day long it was mostl...

Dustin complains that I have made our family blog my own personal journal. He is right, so after really thinking about it, I chose to make a seperate blog for my own feelings and thoughts. I turned my quote blog that I statred a long time ago into my online journal. Merritt Memories I will keep for family stories, events, and anything pertaining to the kids. So if you want to ever hear my opinion or thoughts on anything venture over to: laraesworthmentioning.blogspot.com there will be some good stuff every now and then!!

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will – to your surprise – miss them profoundly..." It seems like yesterday: "Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of 'what if' and 'if only.' Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, 'The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.' " Thanks Pres. Monson!! Time goes way too f...

we would have never made it to Plymouth Rock. I'm pretty sure we would have died on our journey. Cause of death: drowning. Aaron ran down the stairs to me and said," Mom, we forgot about my project!" I paused for a moment thinking of what project I was in charge of. Am I all of a sudden in the 5th grade? Did I have a project due that I forgot about? Nope. I replied," What's this we stuff, Aaron? I didn't have a project." He cocked his head to the side and gave a little smile. Thinking I wasn't serious. I know why. You see, in the past when one of my kids comes running to me in a hurry fretting about a project forgotten, I have always helped them. They do all they can until bedtime. Always, ALWAYS, I am left finishing it until the wee hours of morning. Bad habit, I know. So, this is why my son thought I was kidding, but I wasn't. I was tired, tired of their waiting til the last minute, tired of them telling me no when asked if they have any home...

One of the greatest challenges in this life is discovering who we are. How is this done? How do I learn about myself and my purpose on this earth? I have been trying to focus on this more lately. I want to feel I have a purpose for being here. I think I would be a lot more productive. A quote by Sheri Dew: (of course it is from, No Doubt About It ) "...how eager the Lord is to unveil the knowledge stored safely inside our spirits about who we are and what our mission is. ...It is the Spirit who reveals to us our identity-which isn't just who we are, but who we have always been. And when we know, our lives take on a purpose so stunning that we are changed forever." I want a stunning purpose, I want to be changed forever. I'm so jealous right now of those who know about themselves! I know that I have deep within me, SOMEWHERE, special talents to fulfill my purpose. The problem? I'm not quite sure of what they are. How grateful I am that I have been given the gift of...